Beginning next month, AT&T will raise the price of its most common broadband internet services in many of the states where it operates, a company spokesman, quoted by an Associated Press report, said.
The $5-per-month hike will apply in all but the states acquired with the buyout of BellSouth. It will affect customers who have the company's three slowest broadband tiers, ranging from 768 Kpbs to 3 Mbps, AT&T spokesman Michael Coe, quoted by the Associated Press report, said.
The 1.5-Mbps service is the most common among AT&T's 14.2 million broadband customers.
The hike does not affect new customers who sign up for the slowest broadband service, Coe said.
Customers who signed up under special package promotional deals also avoid the price hike, at least for the term of their promotional deal, the report said.
The price increase goes into effect in March, and affected customers began getting notices via email or in their bills late last week, Coe said.
He said San Antonio-based AT&T decided to raise prices for some of its customers 'to better reflect the value of our broadband service' as demand continues to grow for high-speed internet services.